Container confining a fluid under pressure



June 18, 1968 J. TUBEUF 13 9 CONTAINER CONFINING A FLUID UNDER PRESSURE Filed March 28, 1966 United States Patent 7 Claims. (c1. 220 47 ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A container for confining fluid under pressure in which there is a main wall and a weaker integral Wall portion which can be ruptured by application of heat to permit release of the confined fluid.

This invention relates to the production of an opening in a reservoir containing a fluid under pressure which is required for use only once, whilst ensuring, if necessary, perfect fluid-tightness and reliability of the opening action.

It is an object of the invention to provide an improved container.

According to the present invention there is provided a container confining a fluid under pressure, means defining the main well of the container, and means defining an auxiliary wall, said auxiliary wall having a relatively lower effective strength than that of the main wall, whereby application of heat causes rupture of the auxiliary wall and release of said confined fluid.

It will be apparent that the advantage of the invention essential for the solution of the problem which has been proposed, consists in that the member effecting the closure does not require the use of any movable mechanical part, thus eliminating the risk of failure inherent in previously proposed arrangements with a movable part: moreover, the reliability of opening is guaranteed by the functional simplicity of the means for effecting the opening.

Certain embodiments of a container in accordance with the invention will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying diagrammatic drawings, in which:

FIGURE 1 is a longitudinal section of a container with a part of the wall made thinner at one end which is connected to an electric current supply;

FIGURE 2 is a longitudinal section of another embodiment with one end of thinner section provided with a resistance element;

FIGURE 3 is a longitudinal section of one end of a container including an extension with a thin wall;

FIGURE 4 is a side view of an extension of the container of FIGURE 3 on which an electrical resistance wire is mounted;

FIGURE 5 is a section of an extension of the container of'FIGURE 3 on which there is engaged an electrical resistance sleeve;

FIGURE 6 is a side view of an extension of the container of FIGURE 3 around which there is provided an induction winding;

FIGURE 7 is a section of extension of the container of FIGURE 3 within which there is provided a heating element;

FIGURE 8 is a fragmentary section of an extension of the container closed by a destructible plug;

FIGURE 9 is a fragmentary view of a thin wall of a container on the exterior of which there is mounted breaking means; and

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FIGURE 10 is a view of the end of a container including an extension with a thin wall reinforced by binding means.

In FIGURE 1 there is shown a container 1 which is of an electrically-conductive material and which contains fluid under pressure. One of its ends 2 has a zone 3 in which the wall is thinned down preferably along a circumferential line, the said zone having a sufficient strength to forces to which it is normally subjected and the destruction of which can be effected by a thermal phenomenon. The end 2 is extended to form a cylindrical part 4 of corresponding shape to the wall or faired to the wall and constituting an electrical conductor which is connected to one of the terminals of an electrical supply circuit, the other terminal of this circuit being connected to a conductor 5 disposed in any desired position on the container and in electrical contact with the wall of the said container. The passage of a sufliciently high electrical current between the conductors 4 and 5 gives rise to heating in the thinned down zone 3 which is thus of higher electrical resistance. The rise in temperature which results causes deterioration in the mechanical properties of the material which may be, in part of metal, up to a point when the end 2 opens along a circumferential line defined by the thinned down zone 3, under the effect of the pressure of the fluid in the container.

Depending on the use of the invention, appropriate means may be used for limiting the transfer of heat between the thinned down zone and the external medium or to the fluid either by direct contact, or by thermal leakage through the whole wall of the container; these means do not limit the extent of the present invention and may be incorporated in many modifications.

According to another embodiment shown in FIGURE 2, a container 7 has a thinned down zone at one of its ends 8. This thinned down zone of the end 8 is in electrical and thermal contact with an electrical resistance pellet, the other face of which is itself in electrical contact with another electrical conductor 11.

According to another embodiment the resistance pellet 10 may be electrically connected to two conductors 11 and 12. In this case, the pellet 10 need not necessarily be in electrical contact with the end 8 of the reservoir. Means for effecting the electrical and thermal contacts may make use of known procedures.

When a high current is passed through the pellet 10 by means of the conductors 11, 12, the pellet thus heats the end 8 which is in thermal contact with the latter. In the same manner as referred to above, the mechanical strength of the material constituting the end 8 is reduced and the latter fails locally under the effect of the internal pressure, thus allowing the passage of fluid confined in the container.

According to other embodiments, the thinned-down zone which is adapted to rupture in order to cause the opening of the container may be situated in an entirely different region of the container which may also have an entirely different form. In one form shown in FIGURE 3, the thinned down zone adapted to rupture is situated in a hollow extension 13, communicating with the interior of the container through an extension of the end 14 of the container or at any other position. The thin wall of this extension or projection forms part of the wall 14 of the container or is mounted thereon, and causes by its rupture the opening of the reservoir.

This extension 13 may be subjected to heat by the direct passage of an electrical current flow between the points 15 and 16 by use of appropriate means.

In FIGURE 4, the extension 18 is wound with an electrical resistance wire 17 and is connected to terminals of an electric current supply at its two ends 19, 20. This resistance wire is covered by an electrical insulator which conducts heat.

It is tlso possible to use an electrical resistance sleeve (FIGURE 5) through which an electrical current can pass readily, which encircles the extension 22 and causes heating of the latter. The sleeve is connected by a conductor 23 to one of the terminals of an electric current supply, the other terminal being in contact with the wall of the reservoir at any desired point.

According to another method for heating which is shown in FIGURE 6, an alternating magnetic field is used which induces a high current in the single short-circuited turn which constitutes the extension 24 of the reservoir.

For this purpose an induction coil 25 is disposed around or adjacent to the extension 24.

Known means can be used between the induction turns 25 and the extension 24 in order to increase the coupling by placing term-magnetic materials within the tube and on the exterior thereof.

According to other possible embodiments, the heating element is disposed within the interior of the narrowed section of the container, known means being used to ensure fluid-tightness of the electrical parts which traverse the wall of the container.

In FIGURE 7, there is shown, by way of example, such an embodiment in which the extension 26 has therein a resistance 27 of which the ends pass through the wall at at least one electrical conductor traverse 28.

Finally, the container may be constituted wholly or in part of various materials such as metal and glass.

In another embodiment of the invention, the extension 13 of FIGURE 1 is of glass and can be broken by a thermal shock according to the methods described and shown in FIGURES 3 to 7, by a local metal coating of the glass wall which is capable of ensuring, if necessary, the closure of electrical circuits.

According to other embodiments, FIGURE 8, the extension 13 of FIGURE 3 includes an opening 30 blocked by a plug 31 of a material of which the deterioration of its mechanical coherence is caused by a rise in temperature. Such a plug may be made of fusible material, glass, synthetic-resin.

It is possible to bring about the heating or the destruction of the part to be opened constituted by a zone with a wall of reduced thickness 32 (FIGURE 9) by means of any other method, such. as the application of a hollow (shaped) explosive charge 33 or by a pyrotechnic detonator, the firing of which will be effected by known means, and in particular by the passage of an electric current, the charge 33 being connected to the source of current by conductors 34, 35.

According to another embodiment shown in FIGURE 10, a container 36 confining a fluid under pressure comprises a hollow extension 37, in communication with the interior of the container, and situated in a projection of the end of the container or at any other position.

The wall of this extension 37 which is joined to the part 38 of the wall of the container or is integral therewith, has a thinned-down part 39 of which the mechanical strength is less than that required to resist the force ex- .4 erted by the pressure of the fluid in the container. This thinned-down part 39 of the wall is reinforced by binding means which is constituted by an insulated electrical resistance wire, wound around this part of the extension in order to ensure normally a suflicient mechanical strength for the forces which the extension wall must withstand.

The resistance wire 40 is connected at its ends 41 and 42 to terminals of an electric current supply and it is covered by an electrical insulator.

The passage of a sufficient electrical current in the resistance wire 40 causes heating of the latter until it ruptures. The binding means constituted by the wire being destroyed and no longer effecting reinforcement of the wall 39 of the extension, the latter give Way under the force exerted by the fluid under pressure, thus causing the opening of the reservoir.

There has been shown a binding wire 40 in which there is caused to flow an electrical heating current in all the turns of the wire, but it is also possible to limit the passage of current to one or more turns of which heating causes the destruction and the rupture of the extension.

It should be understood that the invention is not to be considered to be limited to the embodiments described and shown, but it covers, on the contrary, all modifications.

What is claimed is:

1. A container for confining a fluid under pressure, comprising a main wall, a weakened wall portion integral with the main wall, and heating means adjacent to said weakened wall portion whereby application of heat directly to the weakened wall portion causes rupture thereof so as to permit release of said confined fluid.

2. A container according to claim 1, wherein said integral wall portion is constituted by a relatively thinner portion of said main wall.

3. A container according to claim 1, comprising extension constituting said integral wall portion.

4. A container according to claim 1, wherein said heating means are electrical.

5. A container for confining a fluid under pressure comprising a main wall, an extension of said main wall having a strength lower than that required to resist the force exerted by the fluid under pressure, and reinforcing means around said extension, destruction of the reinforcing means by heat causing rupture of the extension and release of the container contents.

6. A container according to claim 5 wherein the reinforcing means is made of a material different from that of the main wall and said extension.

7. A container according to claim 5 wherein said reinforcing means is an electrical resistance wire.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,517,064 8/1950 Wales 22047 3,209,937 10/1965 Hirst et a1. 220-47 THERON E. CONDON, Primary Examiner. GEORGE T. HALL, Examiner. 

